Blue Bloods
by jessysucks
Summary: Mars force was one of the most well known young heiresses in New York, alongside her sister Mimi. But what happens when people around her start dying? Along with Schuyler, a girl her brother Jack has recently become infatuated with, she tries to find what is targeting the young Blue Bloods of New York. But are they the most vulnerable of them all?
1. Introductions

Marceline Rose Force

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Mephastopheles "Angel of Damnation"

Nickname: Mars

DOB: June 7, 1991

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Emerald Green

Height: 5'6"

* * *

Kenneth Chase Adams

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Zacharael "Angel of Surrender"

Nickname: Kenn

DOB: October 19, 1991

Hair: Brunet

Eyes: Hazel

Height: 6'0"

* * *

Madeleine Alexis Force

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Azrael "Angel of Death"

Nickname: Mimi

DOB: June 7, 1991

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Jade Green

Height: 5'8

* * *

Benjamin Hamilton Force

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Abbadon "Angel of Destruction"

Nickname: Jack

DOB: June 7, 1991

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Jade Green

Height: 6'2"

* * *

Schuyler Theodora Elizabeth Van Alen Chase

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Dimidium Cognatus "Half Blood"

DOB: September 1, 1992

Hair: Black

Eyes: Blue

Height: 5'7"

* * *

Oliver Aloysius Fitzgerald Hazard-Perry II

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Human

DOB: October 18, 1992

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Hazel

Height: 5'11"

* * *

Bliss Eugenia Llewellyn

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Azazel "The Darkling", Lupus Theliel "Angel of Love"

DOB: November 9, 1992

Hair: Red

Eyes: Green

Height: 5'8"

* * *

Dylan Elliot Ward

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Xathanael "The Hidden One"

DOB: May 5, 1991

Hair: Black

Eyes: Black

Height: 5'11"


	2. Chapter 1

New York City. One of the greatest cities in America. To Mars, it was the greatest city, hands down.  
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She loved watching the bustling city pass her by as she drove in a cab with two of the most important men in her life. She sat next to the door in their cab as she leaned her head against Jack, her brother's, shoulder and hers and his best friend, Kenn, sat next to the other window.  
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They were currently making their way to Houston St, which was the border between the Village and the Lower East Side. Mimi, Mars and Jack's sister, was there waiting for them all in an exclusive club called Block 122.

Finally after 20 minutes of driving they arrived and Mars quickly scurried out of the cab and stood next to Kenn as they waited for Jack to get out. Once he got out, a taxi cab came recklessly down the street. It swerved around and seemed it would come close to hitting them, but at the last moment it missed. Just as it was going to drive off, no harm done, Jack flung himself in front of the car. His body fell underneath the car as it drove over him and never so much as stopped. Mars and Kenn both stood unfazed by this event, but across the street came a loud scream of fear. "Oh my God!" Mars immediately looked up and saw that it was Schuyler Van Alen, a girl that went to her school. The poor girl seemed terrified and had turned to the boy next to her and asked, "Did you see that?" Mars and Kenn both acted as if nothing had happened as they waited for Jack to stand up and brush his clothes off. Once he did, he turned to the cabbie to pay and Schuyler ran across the street to their small group.

"You should be dead," she whispered as Jack put away his wallet and stood on Mars' free side. Kenn, not really caring about the current situation, slung his arm over Mars' shoulders and pulled her close, simply to feel her against him. Jack and Mars, however, were intrigued. "Excuse me?" he asked, with a quizzical smile on his face as Mars giggled a bit. It seemed Jack wasn't as fast as he thought he was. Schuyler was silent for a moment, and it seemed almost as if she had realized just how crazy her statement had been. After an awkward minute she blurted out, "I didn't know you were a dazehead." Although Kenn wasn't paying too much attention, he burst into laughter along with Mars at Schuyler's randomness. Jack, noticing that Schuyler was greatly embarrassed by their laughter, sent Kenn and Mars a glare so cold it could freeze Hell. "I'm not, actually. We're headed over there," he said motioning to the club next to The Bank, where a loud, terrible trance mix was booming, to Block 122.

"Oh, I should have known," Schuyler said with a deep crimson blush that brought life to her creamy, pale skin. Mars and Kenn were both tired of standing around, but Jack was enjoying it. Maybe even a bit too much. "Why?" "Why what?" "Why apologize? How would you have known that? You read minds or something?" Jack asked in a flirtatious tone that made Mars' blood boil. "Maybe I do. And maybe it's an off day," Schuyler said as she flirted back, and that was Mars' tipping point. She angrily smacked Jack on the back of the head then stomped off to the front of the line for the club, followed by Kenn and an annoyed yell from her brother. As soon as she stepped in front of the bouncer he let her in and she walked straight into the stuffy and deafening building.


	3. Author's Note

Hey my lovely readers!

I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to read this story. It's my first go at writing from a book, so sorry if there are some stupid/confusing parts.

I mainly wanted to say that I will be updating every Friday. And if you like the whole "interactive" reading experience where there are links do give you a visual of the characters and such, you should read this story on Quotev. It's free. You don't need to create an account, but I do post at the same times as on here, and I do add links to the story.

The link is on the top of my profile :)

Thank you so much for reading my story. I hope you enjoy it.

Sincerely,

Jessy xoxo


	4. Chapter 2

Walking inside the 'blessed sanctuary' of Block 122, at the most sought-after table, surrounded by a variety of gorgeous underaged models, young aspiring movie stars, and the sons and daughters of well-known names, sat one of the most gorgeous girls in the history of New York City: Madeleine "Mimi" Force. 16 years and she might as well by 34, with Botox between the eyes to prove it. Mimi was the embodiment of popularity, whereas Mars was 'bad girl' personified. Marceline "Mars" Force, 16 and although she was a very well endowed heiress, she preferred the modest lifestyle. Where Mimi was the queen bee, Mars was the rebellious socialite. But both girls had gorgeous looks. One of the the things they had in common, besides their pilates-toned limbs, small waists, and full, pouty lips, was their love for the night life.

The three siblings came to Block 122 on most nights, and Friday was never an exception. When Mars and Kenn walked into the club, people seemed to make way for them as they walked to the small 'VIP' table where Mimi sat. And not to their surprise, Mimi was surrounded by her 'entourage', which mainly consisted of Bliss Llewellyn, a tall, slim Texan who recently transferred to Duchesne. As Kenn and Mars stepped up to their usual spot, Mimi's face lit up as she jumped up and hugged the two affectionately. Only Jack, Kenn and Mars got this reaction from Mimi, something that most people envied. Mimi then dragged Mars to the seat she was sitting on and kicked off two people that whined and pouted like small children. Leaning against Kenn's chest on the sofa, Mars sat boredly with his arm wrapped possessively around her waist, and a large glass of scotch in her hand. Mars had her legs draped over Mimi's lap, and although most people were shocked at her gall, Mimi didn't mind a bit. They were 2 out of 3 pieces of one person and they were always close. Mimi hadn't even noticed Mars' legs placed in her lap as she held up a shot glass to Bliss. "Cheers," the nervous Texan said as they clinked glasses then chugged their shots.

It was Mimi's fifth shot of the evening, but she still felt as sober as when she had ordered the first one. She was disappointed in how long it took to get drunk lately, almost as if alcohol didn't affect her blood stream. The Committee had warned them that this would happen, she just didn't want to believe it at the time. Mimi had felt that they had too many rules, and that they were practically running her life, which she did not like. Placing the shot glass down, she impatiently signaled to a waitress to bring another round.

As the waitress left to go get their drinks, Jack finally decided to grace them with his presence and took a seat in between Mars and Mimi. Mars was still angry with Jack for flirting with Schuyler, and for taking so long to get inside, so she placed her feet along his lap, and Mimi did the same. Kenn and Mimi's date, who was the heir to a pharmaceutical company, pretended not to notice. Kenn knew it was only a simple act to anger Jack, but small intimate gestures like this were not uncommon between Mimi and Jack. "Quit it," he snapped, As he abruptly pushed their legs off of his lap. These three all shared the same vibrant, blond hair, the same creamy, flawless skin, and the same long, slender limbs. And where Mimi and Jack had jade green eyes, Mars had deep, emerald green eyes. But they couldn't have had more different personalities. Mimi was talkative and playful, Benjamin—nick named Blackjack in childhood because of his tantrums, and shortened to Jack in adolescence—was reserved and observant, while Mars was a mixture of the two.

Mimi, Jack and Mars were the only children of Charles Force, the 60 year-old media mogul who owns an upstart television network, a cable news channel, a popular newspaper tabloid, several radio stations, and a successful publishing empire that made profits from autobiographies of World Wrestling Federation stars. His wife, Trinity Burden Force, was a chairman of the New York society circuit, and headed the most prestigious charity committees. She was a key member in the foundation of the Committee, to which Jack, Mars, Kenn and Mimi were junior members.

The Forces lived in one of the most glorious homes in the city. A glamorous, well-known townhouse that took up an entire city block across from the Met. "Oh c'mon," Mimi said with a pout as Mars nodded her head in agreement and did the same. Kenn simply laughed at their act as Mimi's date looked confusedly at them. They always teamed up against Jack, which was a key reason why Kenn fit so well into their small, closed-off group. He helped even them out, and he had known them long enough to know when not to pry and when to step in. "I need to stretch my legs. They're so sore. Feel," Mimi demanded as she grabbed her firm calf and asked him to feel the muscle tense. Strip Cardio was a bitch on the joints. Jack just frowned in return. "I said quit it," he murmured in his "serious voice," and Mimi immediately pulled back her tan legs and tucked them under her butt, while Mars rolled her eyes in protest and crossed her arms.

"What's wrong with you?" Mimi asked. Jack had just got to the club and already he was in a bad mood. That was a record, even for him. "Thirsty?" Mars taunted. Her brother was such a party pooper lately and with the event that occurred outside? Mars just didn't understand. He rarely went to Committee meetings anymore, something their parents would freak out about if they ever found out. He wasn't dating anyone; he looked weak and worn out, and he was undeniably cranky. Mimi wondered when the last time was that he had any. Jack shrugged and stood up. "I'm going out to get some air." "Good idea," Bliss added, rising in a hurry, causing Mars and Kenn to laugh in a hushed manner. "I need a smoke," Bliss explained apologetically, as she waved a pack of cigarettes in front of Mimi's face. Bliss was new, and it was so painfully obvious that she didn't feel too comfortable within their social group. "Me too," Aggie Carondolet , another girl from Duchesne said, along with Mars who sluggishly stood from her comfortable position on the couch. Mars almost decided to sit back down when Aggie squealed in joy at having a moment with her. Mars was a socialite, like Mimi, but she rarely ever spent time with anyone besides Kenn, Mimi and Jack. Aggie, however, was part of Mimi's "entourage", and looked like a clone of "their leader." Down to the $500-dollar highlights and pouty expression. "You don't need my permission," Mimi replied in a bored tone, although everyone knew the opposite to be true. One didn't simply leave Mimi's presence. One was dismissed.

After standing up, Mars immediately jumped onto Jack's back (that rhymed) and clung onto him so he could carry her outside. Although he was in a bad mood, he simply sighed and supported her legs and began to walk to the exit. Mars was the baby of the three, and no matter how bad their moods, Mimi and Jack couldn't stay mad at her. Mimi smiled at Mars' trick to lighten up his mood as Kenn laughed at her childishness. Aggie smirked at the sight while Bliss smiled nervously and followed the two Force siblings towards the back of the club. Mimi and Kenn both watched them leave, a protective and loving light in their eyes. When they were out of sight Mimi shrugged. She was never one to follow the rules, so she tended to smoke wherever and whenever she wanted to. The gossip columns once published the five-figure record of her multiple smoking fines.

"I'm bored," she whined, and her date perked up a bit, thinking she would finally pay attention to him. But instead she turned her attention to Kenn. "Well Mimi, what do you have in mind?" he asked already knowing exactly what she wanted. Mimi sighed then turned and looked longingly at the blood vessel in her date's neck. Tempting. But not here, not in public at least. She had just had her fill of him yesterday… and it was against the rules... "Human familiars are not to be abused," Kenn said in a fake "stern" voice as Mimi rolled her eyes. "Blah, blah, blah." She had let out another sigh then flung herself backwards on the couch and placed her head in Kenn's lap. Most would see this as an act of affection, but to their small group, it was an act of familiarity. Kenn and the Force triplets had known each other since they were in diapers. He was nothing more than a close friend and second brother.

He let out a laugh at Mimi's dramatics as he leaned back with his arms on the back of the couch. "Well, you know the rules. They need at least a 48 hour recovery time." "But he smells so wonderful! A hint of Armani… aftershave and underneath… meaty and vital..." Mimi said as she let out a groan. "If I could just get one little taste… one little... bite," she said as she sat up and slowly leaned into her date's neck. But before she could so much as inhale his delicious scent, Kenn pulled her back and into his chest. "Mimi, the Committee meets downstairs, beneath this building. There could be Wardens here, right now… watching. You could be caught," he said as he placed his arm around her shoulder to keep her back. She crossed her arms and pouted. She was going to turn and give him a puppy dog face, but before she could, he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Put the lip away." She let out a huff of air then leaned back against him. "But how do we know I'll get caught? It's dark in here." Kenn just nodded his head and hummed in response, knowing not to acknowledge her desperation, but also not to ignore her. "Who would even notice in this crowd of self-involved narcissists?" "They will find out. Someone will tell them. Maybe next time." "I guess I'll let him rest from last night." Mimi said disheartenedly then quickly turned and ruffled Kenn's hair.

He was right, but then again, he always was. "Hey, Mimi!" he whined as he pushed her hand away and tried to fix his messed up hair. "Come on," she said as she stood from her seat and tugged on his arm for him to do the same. "Excuse us," she said to her date then quickly walked to the dance floor, followed by Kenn. In a flash, they were in the middle of the room, dancing with other people. For Mimi, there was always another boy, and then another and another, each one of them all too happy to dance with her. And Kenn definitely had his fair share of fans. At 6 feet, he had gorgeous caramel skin and a perfectly structured face. His eyes were a light, golden brown and his hair a deep chocolate. He was gorgeous. Something Mimi knew very well, and something she kept trying to instill into Mars' mind.

It seemed like they danced for hours—their feet barely touching the floor—two dizzying, beautiful tornadoes. When they returned to the table, Mimi's face was glowing with a mystical light (or the effects of the lighting?), her beauty almost too painful to look at. Mars was lounging on the couch with a full glass of scotch in hand, and Mimi's date was sleeping, hunched over the edge of the table. Too bad. Mimi gracefully threw herself into the seat next to Mars and grabbed her cell phone, when she realized that Bliss never came back from her cigarette break.


	5. Chapter 3

She felt like she didn't belong here, and she didn't know why. What high society heiress didnt feel miserable. They were supposed to smile and act as if everything was fine. But Marceline Force didn't feel fine. She felt empty. Like there was something missing. She always watched enviously as her sister teased her brother. It was typical with Mimi and Jack. They would argue one minute and the next they would be, what outsiders saw as, grossly affectionate. But although her day was pretty average, nothing about this night, not even Kenn's comforting presence, made her feel any less miserable.

She'd always felt this way. Like somehow she was incomplete. It was something that her siblings knew. Kenn most likely knew, but then again you couldn't really hide much from him. At home she could hide it easier. At home she could walk around in her comfy Forever 21 pajamas, her fuzzy bunny slippers, and her favorite Jack Wills hoodie that she consistently stole from Kenn.

Of course, Manhattan was more than comforting for Mars. But on the other hand, she didn't quite like the way teens frivolously spent thousands of dollars on small things such as jeans. Although her siblings were among the group of frivolous spenders, Mars stayed on a budget. She would never pay over $50 for a pair of jeans, over $35 for a shirt and never pay over $100 for shoes. But somehow, she still had a few designer things in her closet that her family had given her, and she always looked amazing. The students at Duchesne had grown to call her style **. **

But it wasn't the high school social ladder that bothered her. It wasn't even her artificial tan, which she would never let Mimi talk her into doing again. It was the fact that sometimes she didn't feel like herself. Ever since she turned 15, whenever she saw any form of Roman architecture her body would get a deep aching feeling. It would overwhelm her, and she would find herself shaking. When she walked through historical buildings she would find herself transported back in time. Sometimes it was too hard to discern between memory and reality.

But her nightmares? They were terrifying. At first, she would scream herself awake. But after the first year they changed into something different. They were nightmares. But they were heart-wrenching. Nightmares of running, nightmares of chasing someone she loved, then they would be ripped away. When she would wake up her skin would be burning, her sheets drenched, and there would be a mind-numbing ache in her heart. Then the rest of the night she would cry uncontrollably.

But now, at Block 122, standing beside Jack outside the club, she found herself numb. She stood by his side silently, just standing, mind blank. She didnt realize what he hadd go back inside. Silently she turned and began to make her way into the club. Jack asked. Mars thought to herself. she said playfully as she turned and walked inside, without Jack.


	6. Chapter 4

The Duchesne School was formerly known as the Flood mansion on Madison Avenue and Ninety-first Street. It was across from Dalton and next to Sacred Heart on what is known as "prep-school row". It used to be the home of Rose Elizabeth Flood, who was the widow of Captain Armstrong Flood. He had founded the Flood Oil Company. Rose had three daughters, who were educated by Marguerite Duchesne, a Belgian governess. When all three daughters died in the unfortunate sinking of the SS Endeavor, a heartbroken Rose returned to the Midwest and gave her home to Mademoiselle Duchesne to start the institution of her dreams.

Little had been done to change the home into a school: the conditions were that all original finishes and furniture had to be carefully maintained, which made entering the building feel like walking backwards in time. A life-sized John Singer Sargent portrait of the 3 deceased Flood heiresses was still hanging above the marble staircase to "welcome" visitors into the beautiful double-height entryway. A large Baroque crystal chandelier hung in the glass-windowed ballroom that looked out onto Central Park, and Chesterfield ottomans and antique reading desks were arranged in the foyer. The once candlelit shiny, brass sconces were now electrically wired. And the original, creaky Pullman elevator still worked, although only staff members are allowed to use it. The attic was transformed into an art center that even has its own printing press and lithograph machine. The downstairs drawing room held a fully stocked theater, gym, and cafeteria. Metal lockers lined the fleur-de-lis wallpapered hallways, and the upper bedrooms held the humanities classrooms. Generations of students swore they saw the ghost of Mrs. Duchesne haunting the third landing.

In the hallway leading to the library, pictures of graduating classes hung on the walls. Duchesne was formerly an all-girls institution, so the first class of 1869 showed a group of six gloomy girls in white ball gowns with their names elegantly etched in calligraphy. As the years passed, the obsolete daguerreotypes of 19th century debutantes changed into black-and-white photos of puffy-haired swans in the 1950's, to the cheerful addition of long-haired gentleman in the mid 60's, when Duchesne finally went coed, leading to bright color photos of charming young women and handsome young men from the current years.

But, really, not much has changed. The girls still wore white tea dresses from Saks, white gloves from Bergdorf's, presented garlands of twined ivy for their heads, and given a red rose along with their diplomas at graduation. The boys, wore mourning suits, complete with pearl-tipped pins on their gray ascots.

At Duchesne, bad new always came in the form of a canceled first period and a staticy announcement made over the antique sound system. "Emergency chapel meeting. All students asked to report to the chapel at once."

Mars had Music Humanities, which was nowhere near Jack, Mimi and Kenn's shared class.  
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But walking into the hallway, she saw Oliver Hazard-Perry, a good friend of hers and Kenn's. "Hey, Olly. Mind if I sit with you?" she asked nonchalantly. He nodded his head, and they waited for Schuyler. Those two were inseparable.

"What's going on?" Schuyler asked as she placed her head on Oliver's shoulder. "Hell if I know," he shrugged. "You always know," Mars added jokingly and Schuyler looked a bit thankful for the slight rise in mood. It seems they were having a bit of a tense moment. "All right, but don't say anything," Oliver said as he finally gave in. Mars couldn't help but laugh. He was weak in the knees for Schuyler.

Schuyler was pretty. She had beautiful, long blue-black hair that contrasted greatly with her creamy, ivory skin. On her flawless heart-shaped face sat two vibrant blue eyes. Today her hair was down and she was wearing a large Navy peacoat that made her look like a pixie. Her long, slender legs were covered in faded jeans and she wore worn-out black cowboy boots. "I think it has something to do with the crowd that was at Block 122 this weekend."

Schuyler and Mars both raised their eyebrows in shock. "Me and my friends? Why? Are we getting expelled?" she asked as she slowly began to panic. "Not you, Mars. They wouldn't get rid of a top student," Oliver said, savoring the thought of Mimi being kicked out. Mars, however, was worried. Last year almost all of Mimi's circle had been expelled for illicit behavior on school grounds. They had all come back after hours to celebrate a win at the Head of the Charles, ended up trashing the 2nd floor classrooms, leaving graffitied expletives on the walls and all the leftovers of their kegger. Parents signed a petition to change the decision of the administration, thinking the punishment was too harsh or that they should be tried for criminal charges.

Seeing as there were only 40 students in each class, the student body fit comfortably inside the room, where they were separated based on grade. Seniors and freshmen in the front separated by the aisle, juniors and sophomores behind them. Reluctantly, Mars left Oliver and Schuyler to sit with Kenn and her siblings.

The Dean of Students waited patiently by the podium in front of the altar. Mimi and Jack were sitting side-by-side as Kenn waited patiently for Mars.  
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When she finally sat down next to him, his tense shoulders relaxed and he wrapped his arm around the back of the pew behind her. "Well look who finally decided to show," he whispered huskily in her ear, causing an excited shiver to run down her spine. "Well someone left me behind." Kenn rolled his eyes. "Jack rushed us out of class." "Yeah. Someone is still in a bad mood," Mimi mumbled causing Jack to glare at her.

"Attention, please. Settle down, boys and girls. I have something very sad to share with you this morning." The small group of four calmed down and stared waitingly at the dean, who took in a sharp breath. "I am very sorry to inform you that one of our students, Aggie Carondolet, passed away this weekend."

There was a large silence following the dean's speech. Everyone was shocked. The dean then cleared her throat. "Aggie had been a student at Duchesne since pre-kindergarten. There will be no classes tomorrow. Instead, there will be a funeral service in the chapel tomorrow morning. Everyone is invited to attend. Afterward, there will be a burial at Forest Hills in Queens, and a shuttle bus will be provided to take students who would like to attend, to the cemetery. We ask that you think of her family at this difficult time." She then stopped for a moment as the confused buzzing of students escalated. She cleared her throat, and all the students calmed down. "We have grief counselors on hand to assist those who need it. School will conclude at noon, your parents have already been informed of the early dismissal. after this meeting, please return to your 2nd period classes."

After a long line of respectful invocations and prayers, the students exited quietly with a mixture of emotions. Nothing like this had happened at Duchesne before. Sure, they heard of problems at other schools: drunk driving accidents, child-molesting soccer coaches, senior boys date-raping freshmen girls, trenchcoat–wearing freaks wielding machine guns and gunning down half the student body. But those only happened at other schools. On television, in the suburbs, or in public schools that had metal detectors and clear, vinyl backpacks. Nothing terrible was allowed to happen at Duchesne. It might as well have been a rule.

The worst thing that happened to a Duchesne student was usually a broken leg from skiing in Aspen or a painful sunburn that was earned in St. Barth's over spring break. So Aggie Carondolet's death, in their city no less, just shy of her 16th birthday, was unfathomable.

Mars was immediately stricken with grief. Although they weren't that close, Mars still considered her a friend. "You okay?" Kenn asked, squeezing Mars' shoulder. She nodded sadly. "We just saw her on Friday," Mars said, shaking her head. She wouldn't cry. She did enough of that at night, but she was sad. When it all finished the group of four walked out of the chapel and Mimi was swarmed with doting "sympathizers". Being the attention-seeker she is, she played the role of the distraught friend. "She'd just gone out for a smoke…" she said as she dabbed away her fake tears. "Then she disappeared… We still don't know how it happened." Jack had already stepped aside to wait out the giant crowds flooding the hallways. Kenn and Mars were about to follow his lead.

"What are you looking at?" Mimi spat, effectively shocking Mars. She turned to see who Mimi was talking to and saw Schuyler staring at her. Angry at Mimi's rudeness, Mars stomped over to her. "MOVE!" And just like that, all the doting idiots had stepped back from Mimi and made a clear pathway. Mars was about to smack Mimi on the back of the head, but as she was pulling her hand back, someone stopped her. Mars turned angrily to see who stopped her and instantly calmed when she saw Jack looking sternly at her. "Calm down." Mars let out a deep sigh. Mimi had flicked her hair, dismissing Schuyler's presence, and snorted in annoyance. Then she turned away and went back to telling the story of her Friday night. "Hey Mars, Kenn," Dylan said. "Hey." "Hey, Dyl," she said back nonchalantly and stood with an annoyed face next to Kenn, Jack and Bliss. "Hey," he said again as he passed the tall Texan. "Sorry about your friend." He put his hand lightly on her arm and Mars couldn't help but stare at them in curiosity.

But Bliss didn't give any acknowledgment that she'd heard him, which Mars thought was very rude. But then again, how did they know each other? Bliss was Mimi's sidekick and had made clear how much she despised him. Mimi had openly called him a "vagrant" and a " wastoid" when he sat at the "popular table" in the cafeteria and refused to move. Mars and Kenn just sat down with him. They soon became friends.

"Well I guess now we know," Kenn said out loud and Mars nodded her head. "One minute, you could be getting a smoke in the alley on the Lower East Side with your friends, having drinks and dancing on tables in a popular night club. And the next minute, you could be dead."


	7. Chapter 5

One of the perks of being a Force, was that nobody took you for granted. When the news of Aggie's death spread, the Force siblings' popularity escalated to epic proportions. Now they weren't just attractive, they seemed vulnerable and human. It was the same thing that happened when Tom Cruise left Nicole Kidman. All of a sudden Nicole Kidman didn't seem like a cold, ruthless, career-crazy Amazon. She was just another heartbroken divorcée that everyone could relate to. Aggie was their close friend. Which wasn't saying much since they had a lot of close friends. Mimi made sure that everyone felt like they were her close friend, even though Mimi was only ever close to her siblings and Kenn. But still, Aggie was a friend.

Aggie grew up with them. They all would go ice-skating in Wollman Rink, she had etiquette lessons with Mimi and Mars at the Plaza, spent summers in South Hampton with them. The Carondolets were an old New York family; Aggie's parents were friends with Charles and Trinity Force. Their mothers both got their hair done in Henri Bendel's salon. Aggie was a true blue blood, like them.

Mimi always has and will love being the center of attention. She always said the right things. She showed her shock and grief in the perfect "victim" persona. Whenever she would dab away her "tears" she would do it skillfully, without smudging her eyeliner. In Mimi's mind Aggie was a true friend. She had once lent her her favorite Rock and Republic jeans, and didn't ask for them back. True friend.

After the announcement of Aggie's death in the Chapel, and Mimi's "breakdown", Kenn and the Force siblings were pulled aside by a runner, which is a fancy name for scholarship kids that played errand boy for the Headmistress. "The Head wants to see you guys," they were told.

Inside the Headmistress' office, she told them they could take the whole day off. They didn't have to wait until noon because The Committee knew how close they were to Augusta, a.k.a. Aggie.

Mimi was ecstatic, and secretly, so was Mars. She had a nightmare the night before and couldn't get a wink of sleep. But Jack and Kenn both shook their heads and asked if it was okay for them to stay in class.

Stepping outside the administration office, the group was met with long, empty hallways. Class had already started, so they were alone. Mimi turned and reached over to smooth out Jack's shirt collar, tracing her fingers over his sunburned neck. He flinched away from her touch. "What's gotten into you lately?" Mimi asked impatiently as Kenn and Mars stood patiently waiting. Mars had her head rested on Kenn's shoulder. Their hands were intertwined. "Don't, okay? Not here." Mimi couldn't understand what was causing Jack to be so skittish lately. And soon, things were going to change. His perception of her would change. They all knew it, but it seemed like Jack didn't want to accept it, or he wouldn't let himself.

Mars and Kenn knew what it was. It was always like this. But Mimi always denied it. To her it was all part of their "process." Charles had made sure to engrave their family history in their minds. Their part in it? It was set in stone. Jack didn't get to choose, but Mimi did feel a bit insulted by the way he was acting.

Mars always hated this part of the cycle. They always drift apart because Jack never appreciates Mimi. And she was forced to watch Mimi pine for their "brother." They might be triplets, but Jack and Mimi are twins. He was her other half. He was part of her soul. When they were little, they were practically the same person. When she stubbed a toe, he cried. When he fell off a horse in Connecticut, her back ached in New York. They always knew what the other was thinking, what they were feeling. And Mimi loved Jack so much it scared her. It had been so long since Mars felt that. Once, Mimi had described it to Mars. "It feels like it fills every inch of you," she'd said. But Jack has been pulling away. Even from Mars. He was distracted, distant. It was as if he put up a wall around his thoughts. Whenever Mimi reached out to try and feel his presence, she didn't feel anything. Just emptiness. No, it was more like it was muffled. Like having a blanket covering a radio. He was tuning her out to hide his thoughts. He was showing that he was independent. It troubled Mimi, and in turn, troubled Mars. "It's like you don't even like me anymore," Mimi pouted, lifting her thick, blonde hair and letting it fall on her shoulders. Mars and Kenn both chuckled quietly. He was going to give in soon. Mimi was wearing a black cotton sweater, that looked see-through because of the overhead fluorescents. Her ivory, lace Le Mystère bra was easily visible.

Jack gave a lopsided smile, which was rare lately. "That's not possible. That would be like hating myself. And I'm not a masochist." Mimi slowly shrugged her shoulders and turned away as she bit her lip. He pulled her in for a hug, holding her tightly against his chest. They were the same height when Mimi wore her 6 inch heels. Their eyes were exactly leveled. Whenever they looked at each other it was like looking into a mirror. "Be good," Jack teased. "Who are you and what have you done with my brother?" Mimi joked, breaking Mars and Kenn out of their dazes as they both laughed. Mimi looked back at them and smiled brightly then faced Jack again and leaned her head on his chest. She liked when he hugged her like this. She liked how he held on just as tightly to her as she held onto him. It relaxed her worries, for the most part.

"I'm scared, Jack," she whispered, breaking their happy moment. The four of them were there that night with Aggie. Aggie isn't supposed to be dead. She couldn't be. It just couldn't be true. It's supposed to be impossible. In every sense of the word. But they had seen Aggie's dead body at the morgue on that cold, gray morning. The four of them had to identify her body. Mimi and Mars' cell phone numbers had been the first entries in Aggie's phone.

Being back on the subject of Aggie's death, Mars squeezed Kenn's hand. The thought of how she last saw the once energetic girl frightened her. They had held Aggie's lifeless hands. They saw her face that was frozen into a scream of pain and terror. Even worse than that bone-chilling expression was the marks they had seen on her neck. It was heinous. It didn't make sense to them. Mars had fainted at the sight, horrible memories from ages long past resurfacing. The world seemed to have been turned upside down. Everything that they had been told had been challenged by Aggie's death. It was something Mars would not let her self even begin to think about.

"It has to be a joke," Mars mumbled to herself as her hold on Kenn's hand tightened dangerously. If he was human it would have been broken, but he didn't even flinch. "No joke," Kenn said stoically. "What if she's just cycling early?" Mimi asked, hoping that they could find some kind of reasonable explanation. But there wasn't one. Because these things simply weren't supposed to happen. Not to them at least.

"They've done the tests," Jack said leaving off, not really wanting to upset Mars and Mimi any further. Kenn, however, prided himself on being honest. "Someone… Something… Took her blood." Mimi and Mars both felt a chill go up their spine. They both shivered in perfect sync, as if something had ran across their graves. "What do you mean it's gone?" they asked at the same time. Most people are shocked at these common moments. Mars and Mimi are like fire and ice. Two opposite sides of the same coin. But aside from their shared physical features, they were always in sync. It came naturally to the two. They would walk at the same pace, speak at the same time. At first, people thought they had rehearsed it, but after a while it became normal.

"She was drained." "You mean…" "Full consumption,"Jack said with a nod. Mimi and Mars both pulled away from Jack and Kenn. "You're joking. You have to be. It's just not possible," Mimi rambled as Mars went deathly still. That word. They had been hearing that word all weekend. On Saturday morning when they got the call, repeated by their parents, the Elders, the Wardens, everyone. Mimi couldn't get over the fact that it wasn't possible. They had all agreed on it. Mars remained frozen. Millions of things ran through her head, but they all circled around one thing. Him.

Mimi walked to an open window and stepped into the sunlight, relishing in the warmth that consumed her. Nothing could hurt them.

"They've called a conclave. The letters went out today," Kenn said, grabbing onto Mars' hand and pulling her frozen body against his chest. "Already? But they haven't even began to change yet," Mimi protested. "Isn't that against the rules?" "We're in a situation of emergency Mims," Kenn said. Mims. She relaxed at her childhood nickname and turned to look at Mars. She was still unmoving, and at this rate she might have to be carried home. "Everyone has to be warned. Even the premature," Jack finished. Mimi sighed and nodded her head. She liked being one of the youngest members.

"We're going to class. Where are you going?" Jack asked, tucking in his shirt, which was useless since it popped back out when he reached for his satchel. "Barney's," Mars said, shocking everyone. They hadn't noticed she returned to normal, but it was as if nothing was wrong. "Mimi has nothing to wear to the funeral," Mars said giving Kenn a small kiss on the cheek. She walked over to Mimi and grabbed her hand, but when she hadn't given Jack a kiss on the cheek as well, he grabbed her free hand and gave her one instead. He didn't like it when she was mad at him. Mars simply gave him a small smile and stuck her tongue out before walking away with Mimi.


	8. Chapter 6

Schuyler's 2nd period class was ethics, and it was open to both sophomores and juniors that wanted to complete their diversity studies requirements. The teacher, Mr. Orion, is a curly-haired Brown alumni. He had a droopy mustache, small, wire-rimmed glasses, a long Cyrano nose, and usually wore oversized, baggy sweaters that hung off his thin frame. He was currently sat in the middle of the room, leading a discussion.

She found a seat near the window and pulled up her chair to the circle around Mr. Orion. There were ten people in the class, which was the normal class size at Duchesne. Schuyler sat in her usual seat, but as she took a look around she couldn't help but notice that Jack wasn't in his. She hadn't spoken to him all semester, and she secretly wondered if he remembered speaking to her on Friday.

"Did anyone here know Aggie well?" Mr. Orion stupidly asked. Duchesne was the kind of place where even years after graduation, if you bumped into a fellow alumni, you would instantly by them a drink and ask them about their lives, because even if you never spoke to each other during school you would know everything about them.

Bliss immediately put her hand down as her freckled face turned a deep shade of red. Memories of Aggie? What did she honestly know about her?

She knew that Aggie liked clothes, shopping, and her tiny chihuahua, Snow White. Like Bliss's. Aggie, however, liked to dress her dog in silly little outfits. The dog even had her own mink sweater that matched Aggie's. That was all Bliss could remember. But how well can you really know someone? And Aggie was mainly Mimi's friend.

Bliss thought back to that night. During her cigarette break she had talked to Dylan Ward for what seemed like ages. They had smoked every last cigarette they had between them. Then he finally went back to The Bank, and she reluctantly went back into Block 122 and continued her role as Mimi's lackey. Aggie wasn't there when she returned, and Bliss didn't see her for the rest of the night.

Bliss has come to learn the basics from her time with the Force triplets. They found Aggie's body in "the Land of Nod", a room in the back of Block 122 where the club put teens who passed out after experiencing their high. It was Block 122's dirty little secret, and somehow, they had successfully kept it out of the tabloids. Of course there were multiple bribes to the police and gossip columnists involved. Most of the teens who passed out usually woke up hours later with some drug aftereffects and new stories to brag about to their friends. Then were sent home. Mostly in tact.

Obviously something went wrong. They couldn't bring Aggie back. And when "the ambulance" (the owner's SUV) dropped her off at St. Vincent's ER, Aggie was already dead. Everyone assumed it was drug overdose. After all, she was found in a closet. What did anyone expect? Except Bliss knew that Aggie would never do drugs. Like Mimi, her hobbies included going tanning and smoking cigarettes. Mimi made sure that drugs were "frowned upon" in their social circle. "I don't need anything to get high. I'm high on life," Mimi liked to say.

"She was "I had a parrot once." A red-eyed sophomore nodded. She was the one giving Mimi tissues after the announcement. Just trying to get in Mimi's good graces while she's in a "vulnerable" state. "When she died, it was like losing a part of myself.s death, someone that was barely 16 years old, a girl they had all witnessed tanning in the school courtyard, powering through a game of squash in the lower court gyms, or scarfing brownie after brownie at the school bake sale (because like all the Duchesne girls, Aggie had a strong love for food that was not at all proportionate to her model-thin body), into such an insignificant event. She hated how he allowed them to use it as a stepping-stone to talk about everyone else's problems.

The classroom door opened and everyonet take it. "Jack, Kenn, sit down.t look at her, and she was too scared and self-conscious to look at him. It felt odd to Schuyler that they were both there that night. So close to the place where Aggie died.

As she tuned back into the conversation she heard another one of Mimis face when a large hand reached over her paper and wrote something down. She looked up in surprise then immediately covered the drawing. Jack Force nodded somberly at her and tapped on her notebook with a pencil. When she looked down she saw a note in a beautiful script that read,


	9. Chapter 7

"Mars, what do you think?" Mimi asked, snapping her sister out of a slight daze. The Force girls were currently in the VIP dressing room in Barney's. It was equipped with a three-way mirror, a large dressing room that had a pull curtain, and a large couch that sat in front of a small table that held multiple snacks and drinks. Mimi was standing in front the mirror, twirling in circles to see the current dress she was trying on.  
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The dress was peplum styled and all black. The sleeves covered her shoulders, the neckline was modestly squared off a few inches under her collar bones, and the skirt ended just above the knee. And although the peplum dress did well to accent Mimi's slim waist, it did not suit her and her usual style. With a small purse of her lips, Mars shook her head in disapproval. "Yeah, I thought so, too," Mimi said before she walked back into the dressing room to change.

"So are you going to get one, or are you going to wear one you already have?" Mimi shouted from the dressing room. Mars chuckled at the question and got up to pick shoes for her sister. "I think you already know the answer to that." "Unfortunately, I do. Why don't you at least try some on? Humour me?" "I actually already have the perfect dress waiting at home." "Fine," Mimi groaned as she stepped out of the dressing room in a new dress.

When Mars turned around, with the perfect pair of Louboutin heels in hand, her eyes immediately widened.  
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"Well," she choked out as she suppressed a fit of giggles. "What?" Mimi pouted as she placed her hands on her hips. "Nothing. You just kinda look like a grieving widow," Mars sputtered, collapsing onto the couch and throwing the heels down on the floor.  
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"Hey!" Mimi shouted as she ran, barefoot, to the couch and began to poke and tickle Mars. One of the things most people didn't know, was that Mars is extremely ticklish. As the two girls fought each other on the couch the large dressing room echoed with laughter that flooded out into the main store showroom.

Many people that were passing by stopped and smiled at the apparent happiness of the two girls. But it was the voice of two young men that broke them from their joking moment. "Well Jack, looks like we've stumbled into Girls Gone Wild." "I think you're right. Who do we pay to watch this?" "Oh, shut up," Mars shouted as her giggles slowly subsided. "How was school?" Mimi asked with a smirk. "Same old same old," Jack shrugged. "Mims, what are you wearing?" Kenn chuckled from his current spot on the couch in between the two girls. "You look like a grieving widow," Jack added from Mimi's right side. "You guys," she whined as she placed her hands over her face and rested her head against Jack's shoulder. The small group began to chuckle as Kenn pulled Mimi into his arms and everyone group hugged.

"Come on, Mims. It's just the dress. The next one will be perfect." Mars giggled as she laid her head back and looked up at the ceiling. "Yeah, it will be… because I picked it out." "Then it will be perfect," Jack agreed. Mimi let out a sigh then stood up and walked into the dressing room. "Well let's see." As Mimi changed in the dressing room, Mars closed her eyes and let herself relax. Her head immediately rolled onto Kenn's shoulder, and his did the same. Their heads were affectionately placed on each other's while Kenn traced circles on the inside of Mars' palm. "We should go. You didn't get any sleep last night," Kenn whispered. "Can't get anything by you," she giggled.

"Okay, are you ready?" Mimi shouted in the once quiet room. Mars, Kenn and Jack's eyes all snapped to the beaming blonde.  
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She looked gorgeous. The dress was all black and fell down to the middle of her knees. It revealed just the right amount of gorgeously long, tan legs, just as the neck line fell right above her cleavage. The waist hugged her amazing curves, making her look classy and sexy. "That… is definitely… it," Jack stuttered as his eyes scanned over every inch of Mimi's body.

Kenn and Mars both nodded their head in approval as they slowly understood that they should take their leave soon. "Well it's perfect." "Just like I said," Mars continued for Kenn. "And we should be going now. So Jack, see you later. Mims, see you tomorrow." "See you at home." Kenn grabbed Mars' hand and picked up her school bag then led her out of the VIP room. As they walked through the showroom the eyes of everyone in the store followed them. There were multiple students from their school there, most said hello, which Kenn and Mars politely smiled to.

When they got outside Kenn stuck his hand out for a cab, and a car immediately pulled up to the curb. Kenn then opened the door for Mars and let her get into the cab first. "85th and 5th, please." The cabbie pulled into the street to begin driving as Kenn pulled Mars to lean onto his chest. His left arm wrapped around her shoulder as her left hand grabbed his and played with the ring on his finger. The ring that matched hers.

"I know what you're thinking," he mumbled as he leaned his forehand against her head. His voice sounded pained, and it made Mars' heart throb with pain. She hated hurting him. All he ever did was love her, but her heart could never truly be his. "Are you reconsidering it?" Mars' eyes immediately locked with Kenn's. His golden eyes were full of love and hurt, which hurt her even more because she knew she could never completely calm his worries. She gave a small, sad smile then gently placed her lips on his. A small jolt rushed through her spine as she felt her heart melting into the kiss. Pulling away, she let out a small sigh and shook her head. "I could never thank you enough for everything you've done for me Zacharael. I love you more than words could describe, and there is nothing to reconsider. I'm yours."


	10. Chapter 8

When Bliss exited the Duchesne gates there was a shiny Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow waiting for her. Her cheeks went red, like it did every afternoon she got out of school. Waiting outside the school for her was her half sister Jordan, an eleven year old in the 6th grade.  
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They let the lower grades out early, as well, for some reason. It's not like they really knew Aggie.

When she walked up to the car the door opened and her stepmother stepped out.  
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She was formerly known as BobiAnne Shepherd. She wore a pink velour tracksuit that had the zipper down just below her large breasts. Her long legs were decorated with high, Gucci clogs.

Not for the first time in her life, Bliss wished her stepmother would let her go home in a cab, or walk, like the other Duchesne kids. The Rolls, the Juicy, the 11 carat diamond on her ring finger. The way she flashed their wealth was so Texas. After living in Manhattan for two months, Bliss learned that it was all about being subtle.

Most of the richest kids in the school wore clothes from Old Navy and were put on a strict allowance by their parents. Very few wore cheap clothing because of personal preference. Most trying to imitate Mars' style. If any of the students needed a car to get from place-to-place, or for special events, their parents made sure to get them something sleek and inconspicuous. Like a Town Car. Even the Force Triplets took cabs. At Duchesne, flaunting your money in flashy ways was frowned upon. Of course, the kids "frowning upon" money flaunting also purchased pre-stained jeans and unraveling sweaters from SoHo boutiques that cost at least five figures. It was okay to look poor, but actually being poor was not.

When she first arrived at Duchesne everyone thought she was a scholarship kid. After all, her Chanel bag looked a bit fake and her shoes were too shiny. But when the students saw the lavish Rolls Royce picking her up after school everyday that rumor was exterminated. The Llewellyns were rich, in an over-the-top kind of way. It was almost as bad as not having money, but not quite.

"Darlings!" BobiAnne shrieked. Her cries echoed down the block, "I was so worried!" She pulled her daughter and stepdaughter into her thin arms and pressed her powdered cheek against theirs. She smelled sweet and chalky, like calcified perfume. Bliss' real mother died giving birth to her, and her father never spoke of her. Bliss didn't have any memory of her, of course. When she was 3 years old her father married BobiAnne, and they had Jordan shortly after.

"Stop it, BobiAnne," Bliss whined. "We're fine. We're not the ones who were killed." '_Killed?'_ She thought. _'Now, why did I say that?'_ Aggie's death was an accident. A drug overdose. But "killed" just came out of her mouth so naturally. Why? "I do wish you'd call me Mama, darlin'. I know, I know. I heard. The poor Carondolet girl. Her mother is in shock, the poor thing. Get in, get in."

Bliss followed her sister into the car. Jordan was silent, as usual, as she continued her calm indifference with her mother's melodramatic acts. Her sister couldn't have been any more different from herself. While Bliss was tall and lithe, Jordan was short and heavyset. Bliss' beauty was striking, but Jordan was so plain she was almost… unattractive. BobiAnne never failed to point these out. "As different as a swan from a water buffalo!" she would sob. BobiAnne always tried to put Jordan on some form of diet, or got on her case for her lack of fashion or "beauty ritual", while she would compliment Bliss to the heavens. But instead of irritating Jordan, it irritated Bliss.

"You girls are not to go out anymore without a chaperone. You especially, Bliss, no more sneaking out with Mimi Force to God knows where. You're to be home every night by nine," BobiAnne said as she nervously bit at her thumbnail. Bliss simply rolled her eyes. _'So now I have a curfew because a girl died in a nightclub?'_ she thought frustratedly. _'When did BobiAnne even care about stuff like this?'_ Bliss had been "partying" since 7th grade. That was also her first taste of alcohol. She had gotten stupid-drunk at the fairgrounds that year; her friend's older sister had to be called to pick her up because she threw up then passed out on a haystack behind the Ferris Wheel. "Your father insists," BobiAnne said nervously. "Now, don't y'all give me any more trouble about it y'hear?" The Rolls then slowly pulled away from the Duchesne school, drove down the block, then made a U-turn to stop in front of the Llewellyn's apartment building that was right across the street.

They got out of the car and walked into their luxurious apartment building, The Anthetum. It was one of the oldest and most distinguished buildings in the city. The Llewellyn house was a triplex penthouse that took over the entire top floor. BobiAnne had hired multiple interior designers to work on the place, and had even given the apartment a "grand" name. Penthouse des Rêves. (Penthouse of Dreams.) Each room in the apartment was decorated with vibrant, peacock fashion, with no expense spared. Everything from the floor-standing candelabras in the dining room, that were made of 18 carat gold, to the soap dishes in the "powder room", which were diamond-encrusted.

There was a "Versace" sitting room, that was filled with the dead designer's antique furniture that BobiAnne had won at an auction, that was filled with sunburst mirrors, gold gilt china cabinets and pretentious Italian nude sculptures. Another room in the apartment was known as the "Bali" room. It had wall-to-wall mahogany armoires and very rare (and expensive) South Asian artifacts. But since there were so many of them in the room it seemed like a fire sale at Pier 1 Imports. There was even a "Cinderella" room that was designed the same as the exhibit at Disney World, complete with a tiara-wearing mannequin in a dress that had two fiberglass birds that were attached to the ceiling.

Bliss thought Penthouse de Crap would have been a more suitable name for the tacky apartment.

Her stepmother was a little on edge that afternoon. Bliss had never seen her this nervous before. BobiAnne didn't even flinch when Bliss left dirty footprints on the usually immaculate carpet. "Before I forget, this came for you today," BobiAnne had said as she handed Bliss a large white linen envelope. It was unusually heavy for a letter and felt almost like a wedding invitation. Bliss opened it and found a thick, embossed card. An invitation to join the New York Blood Bank Committee. It was one of the oldest, and most prestigious, charities in New York. Only the children of the most prominent social families were invited to join as junior members. At Duchesne it was just called "The Committee." All the most popular kids of the school were members, and it usually elevated you to such a high social standing that mere mortals could only wish to reach.

The captains of all the school teams were on The Committee. As were the editors of the newspaper and yearbook. But it wasn't an honor society, since kids like Mimi, who weren't active in any extracurricular activities, but who had parents that were influential New Yorkers, made up most of the membership. It was snobby, mainly about social circles, and exclusive. To the extreme. Only students from the top private schools were allowed in. A full list of Committee members was never even made public, so all anyone could do was guess who was in it or not. Most members usually wore some form of accessory that had The Committee's insignia, a gold serpent around a cross.

Bliss thought they wouldn't add new members until the spring, but the packet clearly stated the first meeting was scheduled for the upcoming Monday, in the Jefferson Room at Duchesne.

"Why would I want to join a charity committee?" she asked with a confused face. She was sure Dylan would find all the fundraising and party-planning ridiculous. Not that she really cared what he thought. But her feeling for the rebellious teen were still unclear. She felt terrible for ignoring him when he tapped her shoulder, but Mimi was watching her. Bliss just wasn't brave enough to acknowledge their friendship, which, she wasn't even sure they were. They certainly were friendly Friday night.

"You don't join. You've been chosen," BobiAnne said.

Bliss nodded. "Do I have to?"

BobiAnne suddenly became insistent. "It would make your father and I very happy."

Later that day, Jordan knocked on Bliss' bedroom door. "Where were you on Friday night?" Her chubby fingers were still holding the doorknob and leaving sticky fingerprints on its gold plating. Jordan's clear eyes watched her with an unnerving concentration.

Bliss shook her head. Jordan was so strange. Bliss thought she was so odd. When they were smaller Jordan followed her everywhere like a lost puppy. She would continually wonder why she didn't have curly hair, green eyes, or a thin figure like her sister. They used to be close, but things changed in the past year. Jordan became secretive and shy whenever she was around Bliss. It seemed like ages ago when Jordan had last asked Bliss to braid her hair.

"At Block 122, you know, that private club all the celebs go to. It was in US Weekly last week," Bliss replied nonchalantly. "Why, who wants to know?" She was sitting on her bed, multiple papers from The Committee were spread out in front of her. For a charity committee, there was an endless number of forms to fill out, which included an acceptance letter that included a commitment of two hours every Monday night.

"That's where she died, isn't it?" Jordan asked grimly.

Bliss nodded. "Yeah."

"You know who did it, don't you?" Jordan asked. When Bliss looked up she saw something spark through her sister's eyes. "You were there."

"What do you mean?" she pressed, but Jordan just shook her head. "You know."

"Actually, I have no idea what you're talking about. Didn't you get the 411? It was an overdose. Now get lost, puke-face," Bliss said as she threw a pillow at her sister.

What was Jordan talking about? What could she possibly know? Why had her stepmother been affected by Aggie's death the way she was? And what was the big deal about joining a charity committee? So to try and answer her questions, she called Mimi. Mimi was on The Committee, and Bliss wanted to make sure she at least knew someone that would be there.

* * *

Catherine Carver's Diary

25th of November, 1620

Plymouth , Massachusetts

Tonight we celebrated our safe journey into our new home. We have joyful news – the people of this new land have welcomed us with open arms and many gifts. They brought wild game, a large bird that could feed an army, a bounty of vegetables, and maize. It is a new beginning for us, and we are heartened by the sight of the verdant land, the vast virgin acres where we will make our settlement. All our dreams have been realized. This is what we left our home for – so that the children may grow up safe and whole.

- C. C.


	11. Chapter 9

Schuyler was one of a select few students at Duchesne that took public transportation. When school ended she took the bus at Ninety-sixth Street that went across town. She slid her student MetroCard in the money receiver then went to find an empty seat. She ended up sitting next to an agitated looking mother that had a double stroller.

Slowly, the bus drove down the avenues and past a busy street full of overpriced boutiques. After that the bus went through Central Park toward Broadway. It was a change of neighborhood and scenery, with multiple Asian and Hispanic restaurants. After a few more minutes the bus came to a stop on Riverside Drive.

She was going to ask Jack what he meant when he wrote her that note, but she felt a bit intimidated by the stoic handsomeness that is his best friend Kenn. Jack Force, had never paid attention to her before. First she found out he, somehow, knew her name. Now he's writing her notes? Why would he tell her Aggie Carondolet was murdered? It had to be a joke. He was probably just trying to scare her. As if trying to rid herself of the thought of Jack, Schuyler shook her head. Even if Jack Force had some overheated Law and Order-type insight into the case, why was he sharing it with her? They barely knew each other.

At 100th street she pulled the yellow tape to signal her desired stop, then slowly stepped through the automatic doors to the sunny afternoon outside. She walked up a block toward the steps that were carved into the landscaped terraces that separated the traffic and led directly to her front door.

Riverside Drive was a scenic Parisian-style boulevard on the western most side of upper Manhattan: a magnificent snakelike route sprinkled with majestic Italian Renaissance mansions and elegant Art Deco apartment buildings. This is where the Van Alens had fled to in the turn of the last century from their lower Fifth Avenue house. They were once one of the most powerful and influential families in New York City. The Van Alens had founded most of the New York's universities and cultural institutions, but their money and influence has been slowly declining for centuries. One of their last remaining holdings was the imposing French-style palace on the corner of leafy 101st and Riverside Drive that Schuyler called home. It was made of beautiful gray stone, had a wrought-iron door and gargoyles that stood guard on the balcony.

But unlike the townhouses that surrounded it, most of them sparkling from being refurbished, the house badly needed to be fixed up. It needed a new roof, tiles, and a coat of paint.

Schuyler rang the doorbell.

"I know, I'm sorry, Hattie, I forgot my keys again," she apologized to their housekeeper, who had been with the family for as long as Schuyler could remember.

The white-haired Polish woman, in an old-fashioned maid's uniform, grunted.

Schuyler followed the maid through the creaking double doors and silently walked through the great hall, which was dark and stuffy, that had Persian rugs that were very old and rare, but were covered in a layer of dust. There was never any light in this room because it always had heavy, velvet curtains that covered the windows, even though it had several large windows that overlooked the Hudson River. Still, there were small remnants of the family's former greatness, shown in the original Hepplewhite chairs and massive Chippendale tables. But the house was too hot in the summer and too drafty in the winter, without the benefit of central air. Unlike the Llewellyn's penthouse, where everything was either a pricey reproduction or an antique bought at Christie's, every piece of furniture in the Van Alen home was original and handed down from earlier generations.

The once grand house had seven bedrooms, most of which were locked and unused, and most of the heirloom pieces were draped with fabric. Schuyler always thought it was a little like living in a creaky old museum.

Her bedroom was on the 2nd floor. It was a small room that she had "rebelliously" painted a bright, Mountain Dew yellow, to contrast the dark tapestries and stuffiness of the rest of the house.

She whistled for Beauty, and a friendly, gorgeous blood hound ran to her side. "Good girl, good girl," she said as she knelt down and hugged the happy creature, letting it lick her face. No matter how bad a day she had, Beauty always made it better. The beautiful animal had followed her home from school one day last year. The dog was a purebred, with a glossy, dark coat that matched Schuyler's blue-black hair. Schuyler had been sure her owners would come looking for her, and she had put up "Found Pet" signs in the neighborhood. But no one came to claim Beauty, and after a while, Schuyler stopped trying to find her rightful owner.

The two of them loped up the stairs. Schuyler walked inside her room and shut the door behind her dog.

"Home so soon?"

Schuyler nearly jumped out of her clothes. Beauty barked, then wagged her tail, galloping joyfully toward the intruder. Schuyler turned to find her grandmother sitting on the bed with a stern expression.  
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Cordelia Van Alen was a small, birdlike woman. It was easy to see where Schuyler got her delicate frame and her deep-set eyes, although Cordelia usually dismissed remarks about family resemblance. Cordelia's eyes were blue and bright, and they stared intensely at her granddaughter.

"Cordelia, I didn't see you," Schuyler explained.

Although Cordelia is Schuyler's grandmother, she had forbidden being called it, or Grandma, or as some children nowadays said, Nana. Schuyler thought it must be nice to have a Nana. She pictured the woman would be a warm and chubby maternal figure.. But instead, Schuyler had Cordelia . She was elderly, but still very beautiful, elegant, and looked to be in her seventies or eighties. Schuyler was never able to figure out which. On rare days, Cordelia looked young enough to be in her fifties (or forties, if Schuyler was being completely honest). Cordelia sat with perfect posture in a black cashmere cardigan and jersey pants with her legs crossed daintily at the ankles.

Cordelia was present throughout Schuyler's childhood. She wasn't parental, or affectionate for that matter, but at least she was present. Cordelia was the one who insisted on changing her last name from her father's to her mother's. Cordelia was the one who enrolled her at Duchesne. Cordelia signed her permission slips, monitored her report cards, and provided her with her insufficient allowance.

"School let out early," Schuyler said. "Aggie Carondolet died."

"I know." Cordelia's face changed. For a mere second, there was a flash of emotion in her eyes. Fear, anxiety, maybe even concern.

"Are you alright?" Schuyler nodded. She barely knew Aggie. Yeah, they had been going to the same school for over ten years, but it didn't mean they were friends. "I've got homework to do." Schuyler said, as she took off her coat, shook off her sweater, slowly taking off each layer of clothing until she stood in nothing but a thin, white tanktop and black leggings.

Schuyler was somewhat scared of her grandmother, but had grown to love her even though Cordelia never showed any signs of a mutual feeling. The most emotion Schuyler could sense from Cordelia was tolerance. Her grandmother tolerated her. She didn't approve, but she tolerated her.

"Your marks are getting worse," Cordelia noted, meaning Schuyler's forearms.

Schuyler nodded. Streaks of pale blue lines blossomed in an intricate pattern, visible under the skin's surface, on the underside of her forearms all the way to her wrist. The prominent blue veins had appeared a week before her 15th birthday. They didn't hurt, but they itched. It was like she was growing out of her skin, or somehow… into it?

"They look the same to me," Schuyler replied.

"Don't forget about your appointment with Dr. Pat."

Schuyler nodded

Beauty got comfortable on Schuyler's bed, which looked out a window over the river twinkling behind the trees.

Cordelia began to pat Beauty's smooth fur. "I had a dog like this once," she said. "When I was about your age. Your mother did, too." Cordelia smiled wistfully.

Cordelia never really spoke of Schuyler's mother, who, technically, wasn't dead. When Schuyler was barely a year old she fell into a coma and has been that way ever since. All the doctors had agreed that she showed normal brain activity, and that at any given moment she could wake up. But she never did. Schuyler visited her mother every Sunday at the Columbia Presbyterian Hospital to read to her from the Sunday Times.

Schuyler didn't have many memories of her mother, except from a sad, beautiful woman who she, somehow, remembers singing lullabies while she lay in a crib. Thinking back on it now, her mother might have seemed sad because that's how she looked in her hospital bed while she slept. There was a veil of sorrow that seemed to cover her features. She was a beautiful, melancholy looking woman with folded hands, her platinum blonde hair fanned out on her pillow.

She wanted to ask her grandmother more questions about her mother and her bloodhound, but Cordelia's eyes were no longer distant, and Schuyler knew she wouldn't get any more tidbits about her mother that night.

"Dinner at six," her grandmother said, leaving the room.

"Yes, Cordelia ," Schuyler mumbled.

She closed her eyes and threw herself onto her bed, leaning her head against Beauty's fur. The sun began to set through the blinds. Her grandmother was such a mystery. Schuyler wished, for what could have been the hundredth time, that her life were normal. She felt very lonely all of a sudden. She wondered if she should have told Oliver about Jack's note. She'd never kept something like that from him before. But she was worried he'd just call her silly for falling for some stupid joke.

Then her phone beeped. Oliver's number flashed on the text message, almost as if he knew how she was feeling at the moment.

MISS U BABE.

Schuyler smiled. She might not have parents. But at least she had one true friend.


	12. Chapter 10

Okay, so I have been pretty preoccupied with some personal things, so sorry for not updating consistently. But I was wondering who actual reads my story since I haven't really been feeling up to writing. Please give me some feedback. Otherwise, I might just stop writing and take down this story.

Thankyou, Jessy xoxo

* * *

Aggie Carondolet's funeral looked like an exclusive social event. The Carondolet family were one of New York's most high-profile families, and Aggie's sudden death was a buffet to starving reporters. PREP SCHOOL GIRL DEAD IN DOWNTOWN CLUB. The title alone made her parents shiver in fear, but nothing could be done about it. The city was obsessed with the beautiful, rich, and tragic. (The more beautiful, rich, and tragic, the bigger the headline.) The morning it went public there was a swarm of photographers that stood outside the school and waited to snap photos of the grieving mother (a regal Sloane Carondolet, 1985's deb of the year), and the stricken best friend, none other than the graceful, It-girl of Manhattan Mimi Force.

As the Force family and Kenn exited the school they were bombarded by camera flashes. Mars was dressed beautifully in a white peplum dress.  
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The dress started, conservatively, above the collarbone, and hugged her curves as it fell just below her knees. Although she had wanted to appear with a more natural look, Mimi did her hair and makeup, like she did for most events. Her hair was pulled back, but left a neat array of crimped strands that framed her face with golden waves. Her makeup was dramatic, with a dark line of eyeliner and eyeshadow that made the dark green of her eyes pop, and her lips were a luscious, glossy red. Kenn, who walked right beside Mars, holding her right hand in his left, was dressed equally as impressive.  
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His usually messy hair was gelled into a slick pompadour. He wore a white button up shirt with a dark navy vest that gave him a more business casual look, topped off with perfectly white straight cut jeans.

Mimi was glad she'd taken Mars with her to Barney's. Although she herself was a fashion wizard, Mars had a natural inclination to fashion. The dress she wore, which Mars picked, was black with a slight ruffle at the waist that made her look even slimmer. She was confident that she would look great in tomorrow's paper, with this sliver of tragedy making her appear even more as a glamorous figure.

Inside the Duchesne chapel the seating was arranged by social rank, like in a fashion show. Of course, Mimi and Mars were given seats on the front pew. Mimi and Mars were seated on either side of their father, Jack on Mimi's left, Kenn on Mars' right. Their mother could not make it today, seeing as she was stuck in a 3 month plastic surgery safari in South Africa (facelifts disguised as vacations). So Gina DuPont, a gorgeous art dealer, and close friend of her father's, accompanied him to the funeral.

Mars was well aware that Gina was actually one of Charles' multiple mistresses. When she was younger she was shocked by her parents' constant affairs, but when she came of age she saw the relationships for what they really were, the Caerimonia Osculor. No one could be all things to one person. Marriage was just to maintain family fortunes, making good social matches, in a similar way to how CEOs made business deals. Young blue bloods were taught that there were certain things that a marriage could solve, some things that even a loyal spouse couldn't provide.

As Mars took a look around she noticed the Llewellyn family enter from a side door. Bliss's stepmother paraded into the room in a floor-length black mink that she wore over a black dress; the senator was wearing a double-breasted black suit; Bliss was wearing a black cashmere sweater and slim black Gucci cigarette pants. Then Mars noticed Bliss' little sister, Jordan, was wearing white as well.

It wasn't so much the color of her attire that surprised Mars, but more about how young she was. Looking around, she noticed almost half of the guests were wearing white, most were elderly, and all were sat across the aisle from her.

Sitting in the front pew, almost as if she were leading the swarm of white-wearing mourners, was a small, withered woman Mars had not seen in a long, long time. As Mars stared at her, she noticed Oliver and his parents walk toward Cordelia and bow to her, then walk to the back and take their seats.

Afterward, the mayor and his entourage arrived, followed by the governor, his wife, and children. For humans, they were all in the appropriate black formal dress and sat on the Force's side of the chapel. Mars felt a bit off, because this only went to show how far from the Blue Blood traditions people have strayed. Everyone on their side of the room was wearing black or charcoal garments.

As Mars' attention went back to the funeral she was attending, her eyes shot to the coffin in front of her. She was glad it was closed. The thought of the body that lay inside it, frozen in a silent scream of terror, scared her more than anything else ever would. Every cell in her body seemed frozen as she hoped that st any minute the Wardens would pop out with a reasonable explanation. Because Aggie just couldn't be dead. As her father said, Aggie probably wasn't even in that coffin.

The service began, and the people assembled rose from their seats and sang "Nearer, My God, to Thee."

Mimi looked up from her hymnal and noticed Bliss leaving her seat. She raised an eyebrow.

After the chaplain said the proper words, Aggie's sister made a brief eulogy. Multiple other students spoke a few words, including Jack. He gave a very moving speech and the service was over. Mars followed her family as they left their pew.

As soon as it was over Cordelia walked over and tapped Charles lightly on the arm. She had the 2nd bluest eyes Mars had ever seen, and just looking into the deepness of her blue eyes made her heart ache. The petite, elderly woman was wearing a gorgeous, ivory Chanel suit with ropes of pearls around her wrinkled neck.

Charles Force was visibly shocked. Mars had never seen her father that way. He was a composed, regal man, with a mane of silver hair and a rigid military bearing. The lines on his face were grooved with the consequences of power. It was said that Charles Force was the real authority that ran New York . The power behind the powerful.

"Hello Cordelia," Mars greeted politely, along with Charles. "It is good to see you again," he added.

"It has been too long." She had the clipped, nasal tones of a true Yankee.

He didn't respond for a moment. "A terrible loss," he finally mumbled.

"Extremely unfortunate," she agreed. "Although it could have been prevented."

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," Charles replied, looking genuinely confused, although Mars immediately understood.

"You know as well as I, that they should have been warned—"

"Enough!" Mars shouted, surprising everyone around them. Cordelia and Charles' eyes both flew to her stern face. "Not here." Charles nodded his head and pulled Cordelia closer to whisper to her. Mars could hear them perfectly from their close proximity, and she noticed Mimi straining to try and hear.

"Always the first to shy from the are the way you have always been, arrogant and blind…" Cordelia lectured.

"And if we had listened to you and shown the fear? Where would we be then?" he asked coldly.

"You would have us cowering in caves."

"I would have had us ensuring our survival. Instead, we are vulnerable once more," Cordelia replied, her raspy voice shaking with anger. "Instead, they are allowed to return, to hunt. If I had the authority, if the Conclave had listened to me, to Teddy—"

"But they did not, they chose me to lead, as I have always done," Charles interrupted smoothly.

"But this is no time to bring up old wounds and grievances." He frowned. "Have you—no, you haven't—Mimi, Jack, Kenn, come here."

"Ah, the children." Cordelia smiled cryptically. "Together again." Mimi didn't like the way the senile old woman was looking at her, especially her sister. It seemed like she was sizing her up as if she knew everything about her already. Mimi could tell that Kenn felt the same. When he saw Cordelia's eyes land on the smaller Force child, his arm immediately wound around her waist to pull her close to him.

"This is Cordelia Van Alen ," Charles Force said gruffly. "Cordelia, you know Mars and these are Benjamin, Kenneth and Madeleine."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Jack said politely.

"Ditto," Mimi snorted as Kenn nodded his head in a hello.

Cordelia gave a smug nod. She turned to Charles and Mars once more with a determined face and harshly whispered, "You must raise the alarm! We must be vigilant! There is still time. We may still stop them, if you would only find it in your heart to forgive her," she left off. Mars' eyes widened in shock. "Gabrielle…" she whispered sadly.

"Do not speak to me of Gabrielle," Charles said, cutting her off. "Never. I would never hear her name spoken to me again. Especially from you."

Who was Gabrielle? Mimi wondered. Why did her father seem so agitated? Mimi felt angry and annoyed to see how her father reacted to the old woman's words.

Cordelia's eyes softened. "It has been fifteen years," she said. "Is that not long enough?"

"It is good to see you well, Cordelia. Good day," Charles said, his tone showed that that was the last he would speak on the topic.

The old woman frowned and walked away without another word. Mimi watched as she stormed out and Schuyler Van Alen followed her. As she left gave a sheepish look back at their group showing her embarrassment of her grandmother's actions. '_As well she should be,'_ Mimi thought.

"Dad, who was that?" Mimi asked, noticing her father looking spooked.

" Cordelia Van Alen ," he replied heavily, then said no more. Like it should explain everything.

"Why wear white to a funeral?" Mimi questioned, with a slight hint of a sneer in her tone.

"Black is the color of night," Charles muttered. "White is the true color of death," Kenn finished as he exchanged a look with Mars. For a moment, Charles looked appalled at his black suit.

"Huh? What did you say?"

The two men shook their heads, lost in thought.

As the small conversation between Mimi and her father ended, she finally noticed that Jack had ran off after Schuyler, and the two of them were having an intense, whispered conversation. Mimi didn't like that. She had no idea who Schuyler thought she was, and she didn't give a damn if it turned out she was actually a member of the Committee. She didn't like the way Jack looked at Schuyler. The only other person he ever looked at like that... was her.

And Mimi wanted to keep it that way.


End file.
